Exploring Our World: People, Places, and Cultures

"Types of Governments Around the World"

Introduction
In this chapter, you learned about the different types of government. Governments create order for people so that they can live together with minimal conflict. Some countries, such as England, have had the same general type of government for hundreds of years. Other countries, like Germany, have had numerous types of governments in the past 200 years.

Destination Title: Central Intelligence Agency: The World Factbook

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Directions
Start at the CIA: The World Factbook Web site.

• Click on "Notes and Definitions."
• Scroll down to "Government type" and read the definitions for the different types of government.
• Click on "Government type" to see a list of the different types of government throughout the world.
• Skim the list of countries and read about the different governments. You can click on each country's name for a map and additional information.

After you have read the information, answer the following questions.

1			What type of government does Tunisia have?
2			What type of government does the Holy See (Vatican City) have? What does this word mean?
3			Click on “China” and then “Government.” When was the People’s Republic of China established?
4			What is the difference between a monarchy and an oligarchy?
5			Read a newspaper or find a reliable article on the Internet that describes a country that is struggling to organize its government. Create a graphic organizer that identifies the country and the groups fighting for control and the types of government that each group supports. Share your findings with the class.